Employee of the Year

Yesterday (May 27), Barb was surprised as she returned to the office from lunch. The delivery team was Superintendent Randy Clegg, Executive Director of Human Resources Sue Grissom, and Communications Director Ruth Dunn. Barb was truly surprised and it was wonderful to reward her for all of her hard work.

Their selection is based upon outstanding job performance and attitude as well as the ways their actions have benefited students, colleagues and the school district. Barb was nominated by her peers and chosen by the district selection committee.

Congratulations Barb!

The Countdown Begins . . .

Were you thinking you we would have a countdown until the end of the 2009-10 school year? some people might be, but on our marquis we've started the countdown until the beginning of school in September. According to Mr. Glende's calculation on May 30 there will be 100 days until the first day of the 2010-11 school year!

On a mission

Sioux Trail staff have been exploring exactly what our mission is and we've been working to put that into words. When in you are in the building on a regular basis you can see that we are on a mission and we work hard with all of our students. We're engaging in the challenge of putting our daily work into a short concise statement. Here are some of our rough drafts.

• Sioux Trail Elementary in collaborations with students, staff, and community, will strive to provide a warm, welcoming environment where diverse learners are instilled with rich opportunities for lifelong learning.
• The Sioux Trail community is a safe and engaging learning environment focused on ensuring the success of all students.
• Sioux Trail is a diverse, caring community of learners where each student achieves his or her full potential in an atmosphere of respect and an acceptance of personal responsibility.
• Here, at Sioux Trail, our highly qualified staff aim to meet high expectations set forth through school and state standards while establishing rapport with the community, families and students through diverse and rigorous learning.
• The Sioux Trail learning community believes that in order to be the best we can be we need to be connected, capable and we must contribute.
• Sioux Trail is growing a garden of lifelong learners
• To engage students and families in a focused learning environment which supports and promotes positive learning behaviors / attitudes and leads all to individual success in life.
• Sioux Trail provides an inclusive, safe, nurturing community for all. Sioux Trail staff, in collaboration with families, volunteers, students and community strives to educate each student to reach their full potential as life-long learners.
• Challenging the whole child in a diverse community of learners so they become caring responsible leaders.
• Sioux Trail is a student centered community of students, parents, and educational professionals dedicated/focused on educating the whole child-academically, emotionally, socially and preparing all students for success. We believe all children can learn and all learners will experience challenge and success daily at Sioux Trail.

What is missing? Sioux Trail Elementary School is a community and represents the work of a large group of people. I will be sharing our work at the May 27 PTO meeting as well. If you have thoughts or ideas please post a comment or send me an email at: takin@burnsville.k12.mn.us

Minnesota Weather

Our swings in weather are having an interesting effect on the Sioux Trail Lost & Found. We laid out several items on tables this week because some of the lost & found boxes are overflowing. The sweatshirt box and the coat hooks have a large number of items in them. We're in the part of the year where you need a coat when you leave the house in the morning, but when you go home in the afternoon it is warm enough to go without a coat. At Sioux Trail that means we end up with a growing pile of forgotten items. Please encourage your student to check the lost & found for missing items. All items that remain at the end of the year will be donated to a charity that can use them.